Metropolis
by MySignalFire
Summary: A JLA fanfiction, taking place after episode "Pandora" will be as close to following episodes as possible , trying to bring Superman together. General tension between some characters, ultimately Clois, Oliver/Dinah, etc. Rating: PG-16
1. Chapter 1

M E T R O P O L I S

The Kandorians knelt on the ground as instructed.

"Kneel before Kal-El."

Clark looked at General Zod's disgusted face with some curiosity. Zod's reaction was not one that Clark was expecting. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, there was a blinding flash of lightning _inside_ where they were - much like when Lois returned not too long ago. Clark and Zod shielded themselves as some of the room came crumbling down. But when Clark's eyes blinked open, in the light there were the outlines of three people.

---  
_Not too long ago._

Chloe Sullivan didn't tell Clark that she still had the Legion Ring. She knew what it did, what it could do... it could bring Jimmy back. Clark would understand, wouldn't he? As she walked quickly down the streets of Metropolis, minding herself, her finger twirled restlessly with the ring. She knew there would be consequences. She couldn't get herself to stick her finger through the ring. She was ready, and yet she was unsure. Her focus was set so strongly upon her ring (though she couldn't see it) that she walked directly into the traffic. Clark wasn't there to save her this time, because of course he'd be with Lois. That's all Chloe thought when she heard the screech of tires next to her.

Thankfully nothing happened. Through the window Oliver Queen stuck his head out. "Chloe? What the hell are you doing?"

Chloe shook her head, unsure of what to say, still in clear shock. Drivers all around were getting out their way, some giving her confused looks. "I... I don't -"

"Get in the car!" Chloe quickly hurried in.

Oliver straightened out, looked at his chauffeur, and nodded. The chauffeur began driving. Oliver sighed. "You okay?" he asked Chloe.

"Uh huh," she nodded.

"Mind telling me what you were doing in the middle of the street?"

"I...was...walking. Yeah."

Oliver looked at her closely. "Uh huh... You're sure?"

"Seriously, I was walking, I got distracted. Things happen."

"Yeah, things happen, and they don't generally end very nicely," said Oliver. "Trust me, I've seen my good share to know."

"Yeah, great," said Chloe, looking back down at her hands, neither of which were in her pockets. The ring was not to be toyed with, especially not when in a car, which could easily jerk and force her to wear it. And if she didn't plan things out carefully...

"Hello? Earth to Chloe?"

"Huh?" Chloe jerked her head back at Oliver.

"You _are_ easily distracted." He shook his head.

"What'd you say?"

"I said, how is Lois?"

Chloe bit her lip. She didn't know too much about the Lois/Oliver relationship, except that Lois's feelings for Oliver were gone. But one look at Oliver's lovesick puppy face, and she knew he was doubling back to the good old days. "She's... out. Of town. You know, Daily Planet stuff. Work is always first priorty." Chloe looked quickly out the window to hide her face.

Oliver nodded. Chloe didn't dare to look at his face. With the rest of the ride being a silent one, the both of them seemed rather relieved when they reached Oliver's place. "All right, we're here. After you, Miss Sullivan." Chloe shrugged and stepped out, followed swiftly by Oliver.

A rather unpleasant looking man stood in front of the two of them. "Mr. Queen," he said with a smug look. "And his newest... friend..."

Oliver snorted with a slight smile. "Hello to you, too, Mr. Wood. Please, feel free to leave. Now."

"Actually, I came to ask for -"

"- an extension on the Queen Industries fund renewal time?" Wood's smug expression immediately vanished. "Sorry, we have enough other candidates to give research money to. I _am_ feeling particularly charitable, so I guess you can have a car ride in my nice car." Oliver motioned to the car he and Chloe stepped out of earlier. "Get in, tell the driver where you want to go, and he'll get you there. Good bye, Mr. Wood."

"But -"

Of course, by then, Oliver and Chloe were in the elevator on their way up. Wood grimaced and got in the car.

"Where to?"

"Eh... make it my apartment." He gave the driver directions and leaned against the car seat, muttering to himself. "...all my historical research... just when I was about to make a discovery...the truth to the myths..." looking absurdly downcast, Wood looked out the window. Cars were zooming by. With the loss of the Queen Industries grant, he'd not even be able to afford a car. His gaze dropped to the empty seat beside him.

And on the seat sat a glittering, purely gold ring.

His face broadened into a smile... Oliver Queen wouldn't be missing anything. This thing looked like pure gold. It even looked royal.

In the elevator, Chloe turned to Oliver. "Who _was_ that guy?"

Oliver snorted. "Guy's name is Marco Wood. Some kind of historian. His research has to do with finding the truth to any Ancient Greek myths."

Chloe laughed. "What, like Hercules?" Oliver shrugged. "That is _so_ wall of weird material."

"Well," said Oliver, "his research actually did have cold, hard fact. A lot of the stories in the myths have weird endings. Like, say, Hippolyta, queen of the Amazonian warriors."

"Isn't she the woman who married that Thelonious guy?"

Oliver burst out laughing. "Thelonious? You listen to those guys?" Chloe shook her head. "No, it's Theseus she married, and apparently she died when he fell in love with someone else. Or something. A woman that strong doesn't just die like that. And neither should her daughter."

"Daughter?"

"Yup. That's what Wood was chasing a lead on. The thing is, though, I don't see the point. You don't need _this_ much money to do things, you know? If the guy was a real historian, he'd be able to get his hands on whatever he wanted by just saying his name. Waste of my time and money." At last the the doors slid open and Chloe and Oliver entered their room.

"Mind if I use your computer?"

Oliver shrugged as he walked toward his bathroom. "Do whatever. I'm gonna hit the shower. Holler if you need me." He leaned back out of the bathroom. "Please, don't need me."

Chloe laughed and went back to the screen. The news was the homepage. On the front was Jimmy Olsen's picture. She immediately shut the lid of the laptop, her bottom lip trembling, and she let out a small, irresolute sob.

At length the driver reached Wood's apartment in Suicide Slums. "Thanks," said Wood, when the door shut. The driver said nothing and drove off.

The neighborhood was incredibly dark. Wood looked about...it had been months since he'd been here. He was afraid to even go into his own apartment for fear that somehow it would've been sacked. He would much rather be somewhere else... somewhere where all of his questions, all of his research would be answered. Yes, that was what he wanted. Because if he got just that, he'd prove Oliver Queen wrong, and become rich in the process. He looked at his tightly clenched fist. Opening it, he saw that the ring had left a little "L" and a star imprinted onto his hand. "Ow!" He looked at the ring curiously. It was heavy enough, had the right shimmer to it... it looked worn out. Royal. Old. He liked it. He grinned and slipped it on, thinking it would make him look better, and ---

-----------

_A Battlefield. 387 BC._

"FOR SPARTA!" yelled Antalcidas, chief general. The army of men charged.

"AMAZON!" yelled the beautiful black-haired Queen, Diana. The army of women attacked.

Hours passed with the clashing of swords and the shooting of arrows. The Spartans were no match for the Amazonian women. And Diana stood undefeated. After a moment for truce, Antalcidas and Diana took their stances at the top of a cliff overhang to fight solo combat. If Diana won, the Amazonians would claim the land as their own.

Diana wasn't expecting Antalcidas to be as good as he actually was. In fact, he managed to cut her legs twice and cause her entire waist to bleed heavily. But he, too, was inflicted with wounds. And just as Diana was about to hit his pretty little neck with her sword, a flash of white lightning plummeted through the sky and knocked everyone on the battlefield - the hundreds of people - down. "Hera help me!" yelled Diana, falling over. Antalcidas groaned and clutched his waist.

A rather chubby older man in a suit appeared between the two of them on the floor. "Ow. What the hell?" He looked around. "Holy..." he looked down at Diana. "I... are we in the middle of a movie set?"

Diana knocked him over and grabbed her sword, pointing it at his chin. Her other foot was on Antalcidas's chest. "You foolish man..." it was Amazonian custom to kill all men. Especially the ones that committed crimes. This man, by interrupting the battle, committed a crime.

"No-no-no-no-no wait!" said the man. "This is a mistake! My name is Marco Wood! I am a _historian_!"

Diana raised her sword, poised to cut his head off. As the sword went down, Wood grabbed her leg and in another blinding flash of light, they were gone from the battlefield...

Appearing at the Kandorian Camp.

Clark squinted at the three new figures standing in the room with Zod and the Kandorians in some shock. The wisps of light disappeared and Diana, with some radiant glow around her, acknowledged her presence with some confusion.

Wood was dead, and not by the doing of Diana's sword, but by Antalcidas's spear, which sat, quivering, inside his back.

Diana's kohl-lined eyes caught Antalcidas stirring but she ignored it. For now, she was entirely confused about where she was.

And Clark's only questions were how she got there and how to send her back. For all he knew, these people meant trouble...

Trouble especially for Lois. Because whenever something happened, she'd be the first to know. And he couldn't let anything happen to her.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Thanks for the review! I'd love to have more, guys :P I didn't get to put up an author's note in the last chapter because I didn't have much time to go over it and edit :P I had a question about the shippings featured in here, and I'm glad to say that you'll have to **wait and see** :P I love giving out spoilers but I think in the end everyone's happier knowing it that way. Also, in regards to my other DC fic, based on the Dark Knight, YES, I am updating that. I know it has taken a while but something's gone wrong on my files and all of them have been deleted. So, although it is taking me a while to hack my own computer to get the files back, it is definitely being done. In order to appease my insatiable hunger for some good by-product of all of this, I would absolutely LOVE some reviews for this! So…**sit back, relax, and ENJOY! Oh, and review. Please.** Yours truly, aparna xx

-----

**Chapter Two**

Lois Lane couldn't keep from smiling. She didn't know how to stop, anyway. And an assignment like the one she had made no excuse - the discovery of a new drug that raised some eyebrows in the teenage parent field. With each keyboard click and clack her grin grew wider and wider until finally she squealed. A coworker walked past. "Wow, Lane, what's wrong with you?"

"Shut up," she snapped. "I think I am entitled to a _little_ happiness, don't you think?"

He looked at Lois's article. "Uh huh. Well." He shrugged and walked past, accidentally bumping into Tess Mercer. "Sorry - I, uh... sorry."

"_Lane_," she responded, looking piercingly at Lois. Lois looked up, smirked, and went back to typing. "You _look_ at me when I am talking to you."

Lois continued looking at her screen. "Well, not looking at you seems to be helping me to finish this _faster_, don't you think?"

"Well, writing about some new teenage thrill doesn't seem to be quite as interesting as the assignment I am giving you. Unless, of course, you would much rather I gave it to someone else, like Art Kensley." Lois shuddered, looking over at the blonde-haired, blue-eyed bimbette at another desk in the Daily Planet building. "I thought not," said Tess. She shoved a file into Lois's hands. "You're going to Gotham City. Inside that file there should be two plane tickets and press passes into Bruce Wayne's latest fundraiser."

"Slow down, woman," said Lois. "I mean... Tess." Tess raised an eyebrow. "I'm going to Gotham? For what?"

"You and a plus one." Tess squinted. "And, judging by the look on your face, I have no doubt about who your selection will be."

"Just tell me what I'm doing at Gotham City."

"Well, there are rumors about... a bat. Flying around in Gotham City."

Lois smirked at Tess, put the file down on the desk, and continued talking as she finished typing her story. "A bat. You want _me_ to write about a flying rodent?" She lowered her voice to herself. "What're you people on...?"

"A bat that beats criminals to pulp by night and assumes some regular civilian identity by day. Of course, I don't know who it is. Nor does anyone else. But there are ways of finding out. Get as much as you can. And make sure you bring a plus one who can _write_. We need someone covering Bruce Wayne's charity case."

Lois raised an eyebrow. "Uh huh. Well. That's...doable, I guess." Tess looked at her closely.

"You'd better get the job done, Lane. Or I'll just use it as an excuse to fire you."

"Ha! Like you _haven't_ been looking for one all this time." Tess smiled." Besides, there's no way you can fire Lois Lane: Ultimate Reporter. I'm just too good."

----

Alia stepped forward, looking at Diana, Antalcidas, and the dead man with a cruel and vicious gaze. She stepped next to Zod and began to talk loud enough to stir some of her fellow Kandorians. "Kal-El does not accept our hand of friendship, it seems. He has brought this..._filth_...to our domain."

Clark opened his mouth, ready to retort, when Zod cut in. "No, this is the work of the Legion Ring. Isn't it, Kal-El?" He turned to face Clark.

"I was going to say that," said Clark. Diana, on the floor, tried to get up, but Alia stepped on her back, pushing Diana back to the floor. "Get off of her," Clark said.

"And why should I do that? Do you mean to tell me you _are_ allies?"

Clark growled and walked forward. "Don't make me change my reason for coming here. Step. Off."

Alia kept a menacing gaze at Clark until Zod walked forward between them. "Alia." She stepped off, still looking at Clark with some hatred. Zod looked at Clark. "Then what _is_ your reason for coming here?"

Clark narrowed his eyes. "I came to offer peace. To form an alliance."

Zod's mouth twisted into a thoughtful smile. "Mm. And this was all prompted out of the goodness of your heart, was that it?"

Clark stepped forward. "I know the mistakes that my father made on Krypton. And I am not willing to do the same thing. This is a new world. We should have a fresh start."

"I see," said Zod, walking around Clark slowly in a circle. "And what do you hope to get in return, Kal-El?"

Clark hesitated. In negotiation, he didn't think it'd be best if he laid out the idea of 'let's leave the humans alone and send you people back into the orb' in front of the Kandorians. It would be best to establish some kind of a trust, and then hopefully make sure that they wouldn't do anything harmful to human beings. Then, if anything, they could just stay on earth, mindful to themselves. "I'll think of something." He looked down at Diana, whose face he still didn't see. Her long, black hair covered it as she lay on the floor, her back bleeding through her white battle dress where Alia stepped on it with her heeled boot. "Someone needs to tend to her."

"This filth?" asked Alia. Clark stepped forward, teeth gritted, and once again Zod stood between the two of them.

"I hate to play peace-maker. It just...isn't me," said Zod with a sadistic grin. "Very well. We'll tend to her."

"No," said Clark. "I still don't trust you. I offer my friendship, and this is what your people do."

"How unfortunate," said Zod. "Well, we'll have to fix that, won't we?" He stood eye-to-eye with Clark. "Kal-El, the last true son of Krypton. How I have waited for this day. Although, I didn't quite see it happening this way."


	3. Chapter 3

**If you're wondering why this was reuploaded, I noticed a couple of grammatical/structural errors :P if you could spot them then you're awesome! haha :P sorry, and I'm updating the next chapter in a few minutes ;)**

**Thanks for the reviews, guys! Keep in mind that I first posted this in a forum, so if it's got spelling errors, word censorship, or whatnot, it's because of that. I am cleaning through it as best I can. More Chloe in the next chapter ;) And JLA in the next update. REVIEW! And enjoy ;)**

Chapter 3

Clark looked down on Zod, inhaled, and spoke. "Looks like you're going to have to wait until next time." He blurred out of the room with both Diana and Antalcidas, to Oliver's place, taking the ring off of the dead man's hand with him. The only person there was Chloe.

"Oh my God, Clark, what happened?"

"Why don't you tell me?" asked Clark. "I thought you had the Legion Ring."

"I... I did, but I -"

"You carried it around carelessly. Do you _know_ what your mistake cost us? Someone died! Thanks to these people, your mistake -"

"Clark, calm down!" Chloe stood up and hurried over to Diana, who was still bleeding but enduring. She looked at Antalcidas, who was completely out. "Wait a minute...what was it that Oliver said? Something about the Amazonian warriors..." Chloe tried to take Diana's arm to help her roll over, but Diana grasped Chloe tightly.

"Don't," said Diana.

"You speak English?" asked Chloe. "This is _so_ bizarre." Diana pulled herself up and looked around.

"I have learned to adapt."

"Still, you don't learn an entire language in less than an hour, do you?" Chloe made eye contact with Diana, whose eyes were fiery. _Wait, she's got powers..._ "You're Hippolyta's daughter, aren't you?" Diana's eyes narrowed. "You are! No wonder you weren't in the textbooks.... Oh my God, Clark - " Chloe turned to face Clark. "Was there another man with these two?"

"Yeah, he's the guy who died," said Clark quietly.

"Oh my God," said Chloe, holding a hand to her mouth. "Mr. Wood... he must have been thinking about his discoveries... and he was right, there really was a woman named Hippolyta, wasn't there?"

"You know, I can talk," said Diana. Antalcidas stirred. "But first..." she grabbed her sword once more and pointed it at Antalcidas's neck.

"Whoa-whoa-whoa," said Chloe, "let's put that down."

"To Hell with that," Diana retorted. "I will win my war." She raised her sword and it came down with a resounding clash on Clark as he blurred his way in front of Antalcidas. The sword shattered.

"If you put your weapons down, I'll explain everything to you," said Clark. "If you leave this man alive, I'll help you understand." He paused. "What's your name?"

Diana looked at him closely, then lowered her weapons. "Diana, daughter of Hippolyta and Ares." Before Clark could ask, she continued. "You swear to explain everything and not send me back without my permission?"

Clark hesitated. "I don't know about that... we can't alter history. No one can."

"But we won't have," said Chloe. "Think about it, Clark. When you read Greek Mythology, did you ever hear the name of Diana of the Amazonians? I didn't."

"Well, if you haven't, then I haven't," muttered Clark.

"Exactly my point, Clark," said Chloe. "What if she isn't...." _remembered_, Chloe thought, but used her better judgment to rephrase her question. "What if she never went back?"

"That would explain it," said Clark. "Although, I did read about a Spartan general named Antalcidas."

"Yeah, maybe _he_ gets sent back."

"Or maybe there's another guy named as such."

"You people are so confusing," said Diana. "I just want to know what happened, and where I am."

Oliver chose this opportune moment to step out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel wrapped around him. Diana, Clark, Chloe, and Antalcidas all turned around to face him. He grinned, looking appreciatively at Diana. "I guess I'll join in on the costume party..."

Clark sighed and rolled his eyes. His "Clark Kent" cell phone began ringing. He looked at his phone. "Excuse me, I have to talk to my...uh, Lois." He picked up his phone and walked out onto the balcony.

"Clark!"

"Lois," Clark said, a grin growing on his face.

"Do you want to take a trip with me to Gotham?"

"Don't you think it's a bit early for that?"

"For what?" asked Lois sharply.

"For, you know, us to take a trip?"

"Get your head out of the gutter, Smallville, this is strictly business. Tess Mercer wants us to report on some bat thing that's been beating the crap out of criminals."

"You mean a vigilante?" Clark backed up. "Wait, a bat?"

"Yeah, I thought it was weird, too, until I did some research. There's rumours of a man dressed up as a bat. Although I'm not too sure why he picked a flying rodent of all creatures, I see what he's doing. But vigilante or not, he's gotten half of the citizens' problems solved. Including delivering Carmine Falcone right to the hands of the police at the Gotham Crime Unit."

"Carmine Falcone as in the drug lord?"

"The mafia man in the flesh. He's being held in Arkham Asylum, apparently out of his mind ever since that Scarecrow incident."

"Scarecrow. Jonathan Crane," said Clark. _We were watching him_, he thought.

"Yeah, you know, gassing of the Narrows? Geez, Smallville, where've you been? Anyway, I'm supposed to bring a partner out to write about one of Bruce Wayne's fundraisers, and you know... you're my partner."

Clark grinned. "I'll be there. What time are we leaving?"

"Actually? In just a couple of hours. Pick me up from the Planet."

"Wait - " but Lois hung up. Clark shrugged and walked back into Oliver's main room, where everyone was looking around rather uncomfortably. "I've got to go to Gotham City," said Clark, "in two hours." He looked down on the floor to see Antalcidas knocked out. He didn't need to ask what happened, but at least Antalcidas wasn't dead.

"Wait," said Diana, walking to him. "You promised you'd explain everything to me."

"I'm sorry," said Clark, looking at her kindly. "I promise I will. Just - not now." He smiled at her. "I'll explain everything in two days." And with that he walked out of the apartment, patting Oliver's back on the way.

Oliver watched him leave, then turned to face Diana and Chloe. "What say you we have a little party?"

Chloe rolled her eyes and smiled. "Good joke, Oliver." She went back to the desk to start typing on the laptop.

Diana merely looked at the books Oliver had on his table. Within five seconds, she flipped through one entire encyclopedia, her hands hovering over the pages as they went forward of their own accord, and went to the next, absorbing information as she did.

"Holy _shit_."


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks so much for your reviews, everyone! I really hope you like this chapter, I know I do :P Definite Clois moments here, and your first sighting of the Batman, and – wait, I should stop spoiling things. Enjoy, and PLEASE review!**

Chapter Four

"Welcome to United Airlines."

"Thanks," said Clark, nodding at the flight attendant appreciatively. As he and Lois walked to their business-class seasts, Lois looked at him with a face of pained annoyance.

"All right, call me crazy and obsessive, but she was _definitely_ flirting with you."

"Really? I hadn't noticed," said Clark, kicking back into his seat and opening his laptop.

"No, seriously," said Lois, pushing the lid of his laptop shut. "Look, she's watching you now with that _bimbo_ face..." Lois shuddered. Clark looked up; the blonde attendant was, indeed, looking over at him while twirling her hair and giggling. With a faint smile, Clark nodded and went back to his laptop.

"Don't worry about it, Lois," he said.

"I am worrying about it! Do you know how many girls would literally kill me to be with you?"

Clark looked at her with a smirk on his face. "Glad to know I'm such a stud. Seriously, don't worry." He opened a chat with Chloe.

"The flight will begin in fifteen minutes," came the voice on the intercom.

"Pathetic," muttered Lois at the blonde attendant, who had walked down their aisle, pausing momentarily near Clark's seat to bend down and ask if he was comfortable.

----

Meanwhile, Oliver was watching Diana with rapt attention. Actually, he was more or less staring at her, as if either incredibly amazed or very, very scared.

"Can I help you?" she finally asked, breaking the silence.

"I, uh... You're really from, you know, way back when?"

"Yes," said Diana curtly, reexamining her girdle. It was her mother's, and apparently was still known as the cause of a great battle between Hercules, Theseus, and the Amazonian warriors.

"That's really... Hippolyta's belt-thingy?"

Diana looked up at Oliver as though he were the most pathetic thing she'd seen. "Yup," she said.

"You have no idea how weird it really is to be seeing an Ancient Greek woman talking like that."

"Then get used to it," said Diana. "I'm here for a reason, and obviously I'll be here until my time is up. And until that time is up, I'll have to know the way the world works."

Chloe walked back in the room, laptop in hand with her chat window with Clark open. "Hey, Ollie? Could you do me a favor?"

"Sure thing, Chlo," said Oliver, standing up. Chloe gave him a funny face. "What?"

"That's what Lois calls me," she said. "Only Lois."

"Oh, okay," said Oliver. "Well, Chloe, Chlo, no real big difference, huh?"

Chloe looked at him for a second, then shook herself. "Okay, so your coffee maker isn't work -" the power shut down. Diana stood up, hand on her hilt, ready. Oliver grabbed a crossbow under his desk.

"You're an archer? Impressive," said Diana.

"You don't even know the beginning," muttered Chloe. "My laptop's died."

"That's weird," said Oliver. "It wasn't connected to anything, was it?"

"Nope," she said. Chloe grabbed her phone and opened it. "Cellphone's died, too." She tried turning it on. "I have no idea what's going on."

Diana turned to face the other two. "Looks like the two of you don't have enough resources. I'll fly over the area, see what I can find -"

"You can _fly_?" asked Chloe.

"That is so... _hot_," said Oliver. "But that doesn't mean you should be doing it."

Chloe nodded in agreement. "You could be seen."

"Yes, I can be seen," agreed Diana. "Is that a problem?"

"Is that a problem?" Chloe walked forward. "Are you joking? If people see you, they'll - they'll, I don't know - lock you away somewhere for experimentation! Powers or not, you're still human."

"No," said Diana. "I'm a demigod. Which means I should be worshipped, just as I was moments before I got here. It's my _birthright_." She looked at Chloe coldly. "I will continue to be worshipped."

She walked to the balcony, but before she could jump off, Oliver stopped her. "You're from a different world, I get that. I know you've adjusted pretty fast, but you're not there yet. Just - just don't do this. People these days are...faithless, I guess. They don't believe in whatever you believe. I know you think you're a goddess or something, but -"

"I do not think," said Diana icily, "I know." She turned once more to jump, when she felt a _whoosh_ behind her.

"You don't want to be doing that," said Clark. "Trust me."

"Clark, what are you doing here?" Chloe looked at Clark pointedly. "Shouldn't you be taking off for Gotham right about now?"

"Yeah," said Clark, "except the plane has shut down."

"What about the Batman?"

"He can wait," said Clark. "Just for a second." Suddenly Clark grabbed his head with both hands and fell to the floor, writhing.

"Clark! What is it? What's wrong?"

"There's a ringing in my head and -" he moaned. Diana looked away. Suddenly Clark stopped. "I - I have to go."

"Wait," said Chloe, "what was that from?"

"I don't know," said Clark, "but I need to find out."

"Clark, where's Lois?" asked Oliver.

"She's fine," said Clark. "She's trying to see if she can find some other way to get us to Gotham. She thinks that I'm trying to talk to someone in order to get dibs on an article." He turned to Diana. "Stay here, _please_. I'm sure Chloe and Oliver have tried to explain why you can't reveal your - your identity." He sighed.

"Their explanations are not only insufficient but make no sense to me," she said. "This world is, as they say, faithless. But I am the daughter of a war lord -"

"- And a crazy warrior bitch," said Oliver. "Hang on, wasn't Hippolyta also Ares's daughter? So isn't that incest?"

"Different Ares," muttered Diana. "The point is, my lifestyle can't change any more than it has. It drives me insane to have to think about how much of myself I will be concealing from people. To have two separate identities, when all my life, I have had only one."

"Look, I know it's hard for you," said Clark, "believe me, I understand -"

"You can't!" said Diana. "All I know is you're some human with super powers, perhaps a son of another god. Hermes, maybe, that explains the speed. But me? I'm from a different world _entirely_! One where everyone knew, respected, feared, _worshipped_ me! How could you understand?"

"Because I'm _not_ from this world," Clark said. Both Oliver and Chloe looked at him.

After a few moments of silence, Diana looked at Clark. "What?"

"I told you - I'm not from this world. I'm from a planet called Krypton. I was sent here as a baby by my parents when that world was destroyed. I was sent here to protect people, and that's exactly what I'm going to do, but not as Clark Kent. Because even I need a life to hide. If you care about anyone, you'll have to keep yourself a secret in order to keep them safe. If you don't want to be caged somewhere and laughed at, you're going to have to keep yourself a secret. Do you understand?"

Diana just looked at him, gave him a nod, and walked into the adjoining room - Oliver's bedroom - slamming the door behind her as she went.

"Well, that went well," said Oliver, breaking the silence.

"Do you think she'll leave?" asked Clark.

"I don't," said Chloe.

"Someone should talk to her," said Clark. "Someone who isn't me."

Oliver stood up, but Chloe shook her head at him. "I'll do it," said Chloe. "It's easier for girls to talk with girls. Trust me, that was something I learned in _kindergarten_..." she walked into Oliver's bedroom.

"See you, Oliver," said Clark, blurring out of the room.

A few moments after Clark's departure, all of the electricity - including Chloe's cell phone and laptop - turned on.

"Least I have the TV for company," muttered Oliver.

-----

Two hours later, Clark and Lois reached Gotham City by train.

"God, I _definitely_ hate planes," muttered Lois.

"Really? I thought you liked them."

"Emphasis on the past tense," said Lois. "Where are we staying again?"

"The Gotham Century Towers," said Clark.

"Wait, what?"

"Gotham Century Towers?" asked Clark.

"That is so.... _cool_!" Lois grinned. "That is _the_ most expensive hangout _ever_! Actually, it's a penthouse tower, which is awesome, but weird, because don't you usually have to buy them? And that makes it more convenient for _us_, because Bruce Wayne lives on the very top floor, and -"

"Lois, slow down," said Clark with a grin. "You're really excited. Obviously."

"Yes, I'm excited! God, I haven't stayed in one remotely nice place since the farm."

"Huh," said Clark, "and here I thought you hated it."

"Hello? I moved in when I barely knew you."

"That was because I offered and you were living out of your car. Which, by the way, smelled like cigarettes."

"Just shut up and kiss me," said Lois, grabbing Clark's face and pushing them into a long-lasting kiss.

"What was that for?" asked Clark when he let go.

"Do I have to have a reason?" asked Lois. Someone in front of them cleared his throat. "Can I help you?" she asked him.

"Are you Clark Kent and Lois Lane?" The man spoke with a British accent and wore a hooded jacket.

Clark looked at Lois and back at the man. "Yes...why?"

"I am Alfred Pennyworth," said the man. "I have been asked by Bruce Wayne to drive you to the penthouse suites. As I am sure you have been told, Miss Tess Mercer has been kind enough to arrange a hospitable stay using LuthorCorp funds. Mr. Wayne was only too happy to help you with writing the article on his rather hospitable fundraiser."

One look at the limousine and Lois responded with a resolute, "Can we leave now?"

Alfred smiled, opened the car door for them, and put their bags in the trunk. As he drove, the back black window separating Lois and Clark from the rest of the car was pushed up for privacy. Lois turned off the speaker and looked at Clark. "Tess Mercer would not be willing to do anything _this_ nice for anyone - let alone nice at all. What do you think she wants?"

"I don't know," muttered Clark, whose attention was set out the window. On the top of a building they were passing, stood the Batman. Clark's eyes narrowed; the two of them made a complete eye contact, despite their obvious distance and the glass between them.

"What're you looking at?" asked Lois, but by the time she turned to look, the Bat was gone.

"Nothing," said Clark. "I just thought I could see the monorail."


	5. Note to readers: UPDATING SOON!

Hey everyone –

I will be updating this within the week. IRL I have final exams – and haven't posted in a few months because of school. Rest assured, it will be up.

Love,

Lady Sparks


End file.
